I walked to our room, keeping my movements deliberately calm and nonchalant. Passing Yoon in the hallway, I offered a brief nod in greeting. Once inside, I barely managed to close the door before collapsing to my knees. Warm blood trickled from my nose, and I pressed my fingers to my face, using hashi to staunch the flow.
The audacity.
Fools.
Avenge us.
The familiar whispers seeped from the shadows. I glanced up, meeting the hollow, glowing white eyes of the ghosts that haunted me. They clung to the darkness, clustered together like silent sentinels, their words echoing in the stillness. No matter how far I ran, no matter how fast, they were always there—watching, whispering, lingering. Only I could see them. Only I could hear them.
Earlier, when Blade unleashed her aura, I had shielded myself with my own, carefully hidden. Aura, unlike hashi, is a potent blend of internal energy and life force. Its weight still lingered in the air, reminding me of the power she wielded.
A faint grin tugged at the corner of my lips.
Blade is strong. This King is impressed.
I reached out, drawing in external hashi to replenish what I had expended. Manipulating aura was no simple feat—it was heavier, denser, far more demanding than ordinary hashi.
Finally, I pulled myself onto my bed, exhaustion weighing down my limbs. As sleep claimed me, one lingering thought echoed in my mind: Blade will be useful in the near future.